Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to visit ETSU
JOHNSON CITY (Feb. 28, 2019) – NBA legend, author, filmmaker and activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will visit East Tennessee State University for a moderated Q&A on Thursday, March 28.
His appearance comes as part of ETSU’s annual Civility Week, which will be held March 25-30.
The Q&A will take place at Brooks Gym on the ETSU campus from 7:30-9 p.m. Tickets are required. ETSU student, faculty and staff tickets are free and may be picked up with ID at the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC) front desk on the second floor of the Wayne G. Basler Center for Physical Activity beginning March 4. Tickets for the public are $15 and may be purchased online in advance beginning March 11; the price at the door will be $20.
In addition, a private, ticketed meet-and-greet and reception with Abdul-Jabbar will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. prior to the Q&A. Tickets are $75 per person and must be purchased online in advance.
Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a six-time NBA champion and the league’s only six-time MVP.
Currently he serves as the chair of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to “Give Kids a Shot That Can’t be Blocked” by bringing educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities through outdoor environmental learning.
The New York Times bestselling author has written 14 books, including two recent memoirs: “Becoming Kareem” for young readers and “Coach Wooden and Me” about his lifelong friendship with famed UCLA coach John Wooden. The audiobook edition of “Becoming Kareem” was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Children’s Album.
Abdul-Jabbar is a regular contributing columnist for newspapers and magazines around the world, such as Time, The Guardian and the Hollywood Reporter. His columns have won him two consecutive Best Columnist of the Year awards from the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in 2017 and 2018.
His Emmy Award-winning HBO Sports documentary, “Kareem: Minority of One,” debuted as HBO’s most watched and highest rated sports documentary of all time. In addition, he participated in season 26 of “Dancing with the Stars” alongside Mirrorball winner Lindsay Arnold.
After 50 years as an athlete and activist, Abdul-Jabbar offers his perspectives as a nationally recognized speaker who regularly appears on the lecture circuit.
Sponsors of Abdul-Jabbar’s visit include the ETSU Student Government Association, offices of Equity and Diversity and Student Affairs, Buctainment, Roan Scholars Leadership Program, Multicultural Center, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, College of Public Health, Honors College and its University Honors and Midway Honors scholars programs, and Center of Excellence in Paleontology.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the meet-and-greet or tickets for the Q&A, visit www.etsu.edu/civility. ETSU students, faculty and staff may also visit that website to submit questions pertaining to the Civility Week theme, “Dialogue Across Division,” and other topics to be considered for the Q&A with Abdul-Jabbar.
For more information, contact the SORC at 423-439-6633 or sorc@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Hill
hill@etsu.edu
423-439-4317